1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a file transferring apparatus and method thereof for transferring an arbitrary file of an arbitrary directory of an arbitrary communication node between communication nodes using a communication protocol such as FTP in a network system comprising a plurality of communication nodes which store respective files in correlation to directories.
2. Related Art
A technology of transferring a file containing data between communication nodes comprising a network system using, for example, FTP (file transfer protocol) has been used in the art.
For example, PUPA 63-282867, PUPA3-251935, PUPA4-340140, PUPA7-49818, PUPA7-244617 and PUPA7-248954 disclose a technology of transferring a file between communication nodes.
The file transfer operation between such communication nodes is performed for each transfer of a file by the following procedure.
First of all, a user performs an operation to make the current directory of the communication node which the user operates (local node) to be a directory containing a file to be sent to a communication node (remote node) which communicates with the local node or a directory storing a file received from the remote node.
Next, the user performs an operation to make the current directory of the remote node to be a directory containing a file requested for sending to the local node or a directory storing a file sent from the local node.
The user then performs an operation to specify a file stored in the current directory of the remote node for sending it to the local node and have the local node receive it, or an operation to specify a file stored in the current directory of the local node for sending it to the remote node and have the remote node receive it.
When a home page is opened on the internet, it is necessary to send various types of files including an HTML (hyper text markup language) document file, an image data file, CGI (common gateway interface) file and a Java applet to a server device. Because these files are often controlled by being sorted into directories corresponding to the types in the sever device, the user has to change directories of both the local and the remote nodes each time a file is sent. In the file transfer method shown as a prior art technology, such operation was performed by specifying the directory by users manual input using a keyboard. The operation to change the directory by such manual input is very cumbersome and burdensome to the user.
This invention was conceived in view of the above described problems of the prior art and it is an object of the invention to provide a file transferring apparatus and method thereof which simplifies the operation to change directories of each node in transferring a file to reduce the burden of the user.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a file transferring apparatus and method thereof which allow a directory of each node required for file transfer to be changed by users simple operation on a GUI panel and further allow, when the directory of a local node is changed, the directory of a remote node corresponding to the changed directory of the local node to be automatically selected and, conversely, when the directory of a remote node is changed allow the directory of a local node corresponding to the changed directory of the remote node to be automatically selected.
In order to achieve the above objects, this invention provides a file transferring apparatus in one or more of a plurality of communication nodes interconnected each other (local node) for transferring a file containing data between said local node and another communication node communicating with said local node (remote node), in which each of said communication nodes correlates each of one or more directories configured in a hierarchical structure to at least a directory and/or a file of a lower hierarchy (lower directory), and said remote node at least notifies at least said local node of the directory of said remote node, comprising; first current directory selecting means for selecting either one of the directories of said local nodes (local directory) or either one of said notified directories of the remote node (remote directory) as a local current directory or a remote current directory, second current directory selecting means for selecting said remote directory corresponding to said selected local current directory or said local directory corresponding to said selected remote directory as said remote current directory or said local current directory, and file transfer means for transferring a file by sending a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node.
Preferably, the file transferring apparatus further comprises directory display means for displaying at least said selected local current directory and said selected remote current directory and/or said lower directory and a directory of higher hierarchy (higher directory) of said selected local current directory and said selected remote current directory, directory designation accepting means for accepting designation of said lower directory or said higher directory of said local current directory and said remote current directory, said first current directory selecting means selecting said lower directory or said higher directory of said local current directory and said remote current directory as a new local current directory and a new remote current directory, and said second current directory selecting means selecting said remote current directory or said local current directory corresponding to said newly selected local current directory or said newly selected remote current directory as said new remote current directory or said new local current directory each time said local current directory or said remote current directory is newly selected.
Preferably, said remote node notifies upon request said local node of said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said remote current directory, said first current directory selecting means and said second current directory selecting means request said remote node to notify of said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said newly selected remote current directory, and said directory display means displays said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said selected local current directory and said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said remote current directory notified from said remote node in response to the request.
Preferably, at least each of said remote nodes notifies at least said local node of the directory name of said remote directory, said second current directory selecting means selects said remote directory or said local directory of the same directory name as said local current directory or said remote current directory as said remote current director or said local current directory.
The file transferring apparatus of this invention transfers between any communication nodes a file containing data by FTP (file transfer protocol) in any communication node of a communication network which is so configured that a plurality of communication nodes can transfer data over a communication network.
Each of a plurality of communication nodes comprising the communication network controls a file recorded in a hard disk, etc., by using a register for file control which is referred to as a directory structured in a hierarchy. In this file control method using a directory, each directory is controlled in correlation to a higher directory when there is a higher directory in the hierarchical structure while each file is controlled in correlation to each directory.
Further, each communication node has a function of notifying a communication node now in communication of directory information indicating the name of a lower directory correlated to each directory and a file according to a communication protocol such as FTP in response to a request.
When a file or a lower directory is managed by being correlated to a higher directory, this is also stated that xe2x80x9ca directory B and a file B exist (is included, or stored) in a directory Axe2x80x9d according to a convention.
An arbitrary communication node in a communication network in which a user performs a file transfer operation is also referred to as a local node.
Further, an arbitrary communication node in a communication network performing file transfer with a local node (regardless of whether or not it is provided with a file transferring apparatus) is also referred to as a remote node.
A directory which a user selects for file transfer is also referred to as a current directory.
An arbitrary directory of a local node is also referred to as a local directory while a current directory of a local node is also referred to as a local current directory.
An arbitrary directory of a remote node is also referred to as a remote directory while a current directory of a remote node is also referred to as a remote current directory.
In the file transferring apparatus of this invention, the directory display means receives information of the local current directory selected by the first current directory selecting means and the second current directory selecting means from an operation system (OS) of the local communication node for example, and displays a lower directory, a file and a higher directory of the local current directory included in the local current directory in the window of GUI panel displayed in a monitor device of the local node.
Further, the directory display means displays a lower directory, a file and a higher directory of the remote current directory which the remote node notified and the file transferring apparatus received in the window of GUI panel in response to a request by the first current directory selecting means and the second current directory selecting means via the file transferring apparatus.
When a user designates a lower directory or a higher directory of a local current directory displayed in the window of GUI panel using a pointing device such as a mouse, for example, the directory designation accepting means accepts this designation and notifies the first current directory selecting means of this.
Further, when the user designates a lower directory or a higher directory in the remote current directory in the window of GUI panel, the directory designation accepting means accepts this designation and notifies the first current directory selecting means of this.
The first current directory selecting means, in response to a users operation to change the local current directory, issues a command to the OS of the local node so as to select the local directory notified by the directory designation accepting means as a new local current directory.
Further, the first current directory selecting means selects the remote directory notified by the directory designation accepting means as a new remote current directory and requests the remote node to notify the directory information of the new remote current directory via the file transfer means.
When the first current directory selecting means selects a new local current directory, the second current directory selecting means selects, for example, a remote directory of the same name as the new local current directory as a new remote current directory to synchronize the local current directory with the remote current directory. Further, the second current directory selecting means requests the remote node to notify directory information of the new remote current directory via the file transfer means.
In addition, when the first current directory selecting means selects a new remote current directory, the second current directory selecting means issues a command to the OS of the local node so as to select a local directory of the same name as the new remote current directory as a new local current directory to synchronize the local current directory with the remote current directory.
The file transfer means is a communication software to effect file transfer by FTP and, in response to users operation, transfers a file included in the local current directory selected by the first current directory selecting means or the second current directory selecting means to the remote node via the communication network to have it stored in the remote current directory and, conversely, requests the remote node to transfer a file included in the remote current directory, receives the file transferred in response to the request and stores it in the local directory.
The file transfer means, in response to a request by the first current directory selecting means and the second current directory selecting means, requests the remote node to notify directory information of the remote current directory and supplies the directory information notified in response to the request to the directory display means.
This invention also provides a file transferring method in one or more of a plurality of communication nodes interconnected each other (local node) for transferring a file containing data between said local node and another communication node communicating with said local node (remote node), in which each of said communication nodes correlates each of one or more directories configured in a hierarchical structure to at least a directory and a file of a lower hierarchy (lower directory) or either one of the directory and the file, and said remote node at least notifies at least said local node of the directory of said remote node, comprising the steps of; selecting either one of the directories of said local nodes (local directory) or either one of said notified directories of the remote node (remote directory) as a local current directory or a remote current directory, selecting said remote directory corresponding to said selected local current directory or said local directory corresponding to said selected remote directory as said remote current directory or said local current directory, and transferring a file by sending a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node.
Further, this invention provides a computer readable recording medium for use in a file transferring apparatus for transferring a file containing data between one or more of a plurality of communication nodes interconnected each other (local node) and another communication node communicating with said local node (remote node) in which each of said communication nodes correlates each of one or more directories configured in a hierarchical structure to at least a directory of a lower hierarchy (lower directory) and/or a file, and said remote node at least notifies at least said local node of the directory of said remote node, said recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute; first current directory selecting step for selecting either one of the directories of said local nodes (local directory) or either one of said notified directories of the remote node (remote directory) as a local current directory or a remote current directory, second current directory selecting step for selecting said remote directory corresponding to said selected local current directory or said local directory corresponding to said selected remote directory as said remote current directory or said local current directory, and file transfer step for transferring a file by sending a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node.